


Birds, Butterflies and Bats

by Dandelionquake



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cannon au, Canon Divergence - War of The Five Kings, Gen, Knight Jon Snow, Oswell Whent Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:40:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23621695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dandelionquake/pseuds/Dandelionquake
Summary: Oswell Whent was the only member -only true member- of the Kingsguard to survive the war of the usurper. Now with nothing else to do, the knight must protect the one member of the Royal family left. Oswell Whent centric
Relationships: Arthur Dayne & Gerold Hightower & Oswell Whent, Catelyn Stark/Ned Stark, Hoster Tully/Minisa Whent, Oswell Whent & Jon Snow
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47





	Birds, Butterflies and Bats

**Author's Note:**

> Minisa (Catelyn's mother) is the older sister of Oswell and Walter Whent.

“I… must apologize, My Lady.” Eddard said, to his new wife. She looked up from their son at her breast to glare at him. Their son… With everything that has happened he barely had a moment to think about the fact that he was a father. Less than a full moon and he was already failing two children.

“I have already said what I wish to say My Lord.” She said, curtly. “If you truly wish to apologize you will find another place for your bas… the boy.”

“Not that.” Eddard corrected “Despite knowing how you would react when I revealed him…”

“Oh so you _planned_ to humiliate me?” She snapped back and Oswell had to roll his eyes at the lord’s confusion. How _this_ man ever got _Ashara_ _Dayne_ infatuated with him, Oswell will _never_ know.

“Enough Stark.” Oswell said, walking into the room.

“Ser Oswell!” Eddard said, jumping in surprise as the knight walked into the room.

Catelyn scowled at him, “Please Nuncle. Can we…”

“No, you can’t because your husband is the most socially awkward human being I have ever met…” Oswell said, rolling his eyes. “What he is trying to say is that the boy is not his son.”

“What!” Catelyn said, almost yelling.

Both men flinched and held up her hands and tried to get her to quiet. It would do no good if half of the castle heard the argument and what they were about to talk about. His niece was nothing like her mother and had a hard streak to her if she was slighted. Oswell could imagine that bringing a bastard to be raised in the home was definitely a slight.

Not that the hard streak was necessarily a bad thing. Maybe had Mini had said hard streak, she would not have let Hoster damned Tully continuously pump babes into her until he got a damned son. That man was never good enough for his sister. Oswell would never forgive him for her death. For the sake of the gods, Cat and Lysa were less than a year apart in age.

“You must swear you will never repeat this. To _anyone.”_ Eddard said, and she looked at both before saying, “I swear to you upon my gods that I shall never repeat what you are about to tell me.”

“The boy is my sister’s son…” Eddard said and let it sit as Cat processed the new information.

“Alright.” Catelyn said, nodding her head absent mindedly.

“Alright?” Eddard and Oswell both said, simultaneously.

“Yes. It is not the boy’s fault for what his father did.” Catelyn said, and Oswell let a huff of breath from his nose. If only it were that simple. Looking at both men’s faces his niece then added, “Or what his _mother_ did?” in a very confused tone.

“He did not rape her, but they did not run off together.” Oswell said, in assurance. Seeing that his words only caused more confusion he added, “You did not go to the tourney at Harrenhall did you?”

_“_ No.” Catelyn said, finally putting his nephew down.

“Rhaegar was enacting a plan to depose his father… Hold the greatest tourney there ever was to get all the great lords in the realm together… call a great council… Aerys arrival destroyed that plan. However, while that may have been why Aerys decided to come, that was not the reason as to why the mad king was as angry as he was that day.” Oswell said and Cat nodded in understanding.

“Because of the Mystery Knight?” She asked, and he was not surprised she heard about “him”. Mystery Knights were a rarity and a treat. Great for stories but in real life they were a rarity for a reason. The only one he could think of in his lifetime was Barristan the Bold.

“Aye.” Eddard said, “My sister was that knight.”

“You sister? A knight!” Cat said incredulously but Oswell couldn’t blame her. When Rhaegar and Arthur told him that he had a hard time believing it as well. Not only because the knight was a _she_ , but because she was just a slip of a girl. Reggy Frey was larger than any knight Oswell knew except the monster who took Elia and Aegon but she handled him like it was nobodies business. 

“Aye. Rhaegar found her and promised to keep what he found a secret. It’s why he foolishly crowned her that day.” Oswell said, and silently cursed his past self. Had he known what Rhaegar would do, he would not have thrown their match. He was better jouster than any other brother of the Kingsguard aside from Barristan. Maybe much travesty could have been avoided had Rhaegar not spurned Elia like he did. “It would have remained a secret had it not been for the thrice damned spider!”

“Spider?” Eddard asked.

“King Aerys’ spymaster.” Catelyn said, suppressing a shudder. “I have only ever met him once. He was very… unnerving.”

“If I ever see that man again…” Oswell trailed off. The man was a monster hiding under a perfumed façade. Oz would have no qualms about ending his life. Aerys was by no means stable when Oswell joined the White Cloaks, but Varys picked the king apart until there was nothing left. The former bodyguard truly thought that the king may have had a chance to recover until that worm started whispering in his ear. He had no doubt in his mind that Varys was the one to open the gates the day of the sacking. “Varys… Varys had Aerys’ ear. Telling him of treacheries that did not exist, stroking his madness. He revealed to Aerys that Lyanna was the Knight of the Laughing tree

The King…he sent men after her, to which Rhaegar, Arthur and I went to rescue her. We tried getting her safe to Dorne… I do not know how Rhaegar received blame for the kidnapping. When she found out about Brandon and her father, she got drunk and slept with him in a moment of vulnerability. Rhaegar’s Conscience got the better of him and married her, taking her as a second wife.”

“As Targaryens are wont to do…” Eddard said bitterly under his breath.

“And the boy…” Cat almost whispered.

“She named him Aemon…” Eddard said, tears filling his eyes. Oswell understood his loss. Eddard had lost a brother, a sister and a father because of this war started by the King’s Madness. Oswell lost four brothers and a sister in Ashara to death, and another two due to their own cowardice.

“The boy… he shall be raised here?” Cat asked, and Oswell had no idea what was going through her mind. Having her husband’s bastard raised here in front of her would be humiliating, but the boy was _not_ his bastard. Still on the surface it would seem like Eddard humiliated her. Oz was just glad that he was able to convince the new lord to tell his niece the truth.

“Yes.” Eddard said, and Oswell was glad he put his foot down. Too many men were ruled by his wives these days. “To the rest of the world he shall be my and Ashara Dayne’s bastard.”

“And the Daynes are just ok with you telling the world this? That you dishonored their daughter and took the child?” Cat asked, examining his face for gods know what.

“The Daynes… their family was close to Rhaegar. They are afraid that the usp… Robert’s wrath might come down upon them.” Oswell explained, “This way they get protection from Eddard as well.”

“Aye.” Eddard said, and then started looking awkward himself. “On the condition that we honor the betrothal agreement that was broken by our marriage My Lady.”

“Your… you…you never said…” Catelyn said, her eyes widening in realization.

“There was not much time.” Eddard said, shrugging. Oz wondered how much of a relationship he actually had with Ashara.

His fellow White Cloak was furious that Ashara was dishonored at the Tourney, which was surprising considering how the Dornish viewed situations like that. Then again Arthur was not the typical Dornish. The only time he saw his brother truly angry at Rhaegar was not when he crowned the girl, but when Rhaegar implied that Elia would not care about the crowning incident because she was from Dorne. Even in the Kingsguard, the man had a fierce pride in his country.

Oswell then looked at Stark. He had been traveling with the man for two nearly three moons. He did not seem to be the type to have casual sex. But there was babe from their coupling, and Ashara did confirm they had slept together. Mayhaps a mystery for another time?

“I have signed and agreed a match between Alleras Dayne’s heir and either our first daughter or second son.” Eddard continued, snapping Oswell out of his thoughts. “I am sorry that I did so without your consideration.”

“Did you promise away any of our other children?” She asked, sarcastically.

“Robb,” Eddard said, looking at his son. “William Dustin’s oldest daughter and he are promised together.”

Catelyn huffed before pausing in reflection and Oswell looked at Stark. _Second son or first daughter?_ How many children did this Northerner want from his niece? How soon? He already lost his sister to the birthing bed! Pregnant seven times in eight years due to _that_ _man_. He did not want Cat to share the same fate!

“The boy cannot inherit.” Catelyn said finally. “We will protect him, he will want for nothing, but I will not have mine own children lose out.”

“I plan on taking him to squire once the boy becomes old enough.” Oswell said, getting a glare at being cut off from Eddard. “A knighthood should help him earn his keep well enough.”

A small fire ignited in Cat’s eyes before she tempered it down. “Shall it not look strange that you squire the bastard instead of the trueborn? Your trueborn nephew at that?”

“Jaime Lannister knows that I planned on squiring the boy. Arthur had an agreement to squire each other’s nephews. If I do not the traitor may know something is indeed strange… stranger than me deciding to venture to this cold wasteland anyway.” Oswell said, to get a roll of the eyes from Eddard.

“Edmure almost squired for the Sword of the Morning?” She asked, a hint of amusement in her eyes. Oswell knew where it was coming from. Growing up the only boy, youngest yet still the heir… that was never going to make a good combination.

“As if your father would have allowed that. He was a bitter old man that never would have taken anything from me even to his benefit.” Oswell snarled. Words could not describe how much he hated this man.

“I… I see.” Cat said surprised by the rancor in her uncle’s voice. “Uncle… May my husband and I speak alone for a moment.”

“Before I do, we should talk about the actual bastard you do have with Ashara?” Oswell said, keeping his voice light. The newly wed both shot daggers at him.

“That is not an appropriate joke, uncle.” Cat said nearly growling with fire in her eyes.

“Of course. My apologies!” He said as he left the room. He was glad his reputation for jokes was well know. Alas, they will have to talk about Allyria another time. He went to the only room that he knew he would be welcome at in. His prince’s nursery.

“Ser Oswell!” Wylla said, jumping up.

“Has the boy eaten?” he asked walking up to the crib.

“Not enough I’m ‘fraid, M’lord.” She said, the Dornish accent coming out more with her nervousness.

“What?”

“Ever since we arrived in the north the boy has not been eating as well.” She said, worried. “I’m not sure if he needs to acclimate to this northern weather more or what else is wrong but he does need to eat more. I’m worried, M’lord.”

“I will speak to the Maester.” Oswell said, noting to himself to make sure to mention it to the Maester whose name he still does not know. “May I have a moment alone with the boy?”

“Yes…” She said, slinking out of the room.

As he stood over the crib, he realized quite how _unlike_ the boy he swore his life to looked like his prince. How much he looked like the man who liked men who were like brothers to Oswell. He had Rhaella’s nose but other than that the boy was pure Stark. It would do well to protect him, the usurper would not be stopped until he was dead had he known.

The Targaryen dynasty was gone. Eddard and Cat would protect the boy, but Viserys and Rhaella would be gone as soon as the usurper’s brother finished off Dragonstone. He wished to go to them, protect them, but Eddard was barely able to argue for his own life, let alone an actual Targaryen. A three-hundred-year dynasty destroyed because of the stupid actions of his Prince. Why did he fight instead of negotiating at that damned battle? He knew that whatever Rhaegar said, his actions with Lyanna were driven by that damned prophecy, not trying to protect the girl.

Oswell wondered what in the seven hells he was even doing here. Did he really want to swear himself to another prince? He was an excellent knight and could work in any household in the seven kingdoms. He knew Walter would accept him with open arms, probably help him get a pretty bride to put babes in too.

He was shaken from his thoughts when the babe cooed. Looking down at the babe he saw intelligence behind those eyes. He may not have his coloring, but he had no doubt that this was Rhaegar’s son. Despite his choices the last months of his life, Rhaegar was Oswell’s friend. His decisions, however ridiculous, were made in the mind of protecting the realm.

Oswell was not going to abandon Rhaegar’s son.


End file.
